Admin Training School

[Aragon Burner]

FreeAdz is setting up an 'Admin Training School'

So, you're all probably wondering what the 'Admin training School' is all about. Well let me explain.

How much time have you community owners spent in the past, trying to find an admin that knows exactly how your forum software works, and what each and every setting is for? I would imaging I have set a rather 'Optimistic' picture... After all, who knows what every setting is for, and the results of using them? Not very many I would guess!

What we plan to do is take members that wish to learn how to run a community, and your newly employed Junior Admins, and train them thoroughly in whatever community software they wish to learn, or your community uses. We will teach them everything they will need to know to become a successful Admin.

Each 'student' will be given a set of tutorials, that they must study, and answer questions on, in the end of course exam. They will be given practical exams also... To show they can put into practice, the things they have been taught. these tutorials/exams will include topics such as:

How to change a boards skin/theme,
setting permissions,
forum management,
member management,
staff management,
daily tasks etc...

In short, they will be given all the tools they need to become a successful part of any Admin team.

If you are interested in becoming an instructor for the Admin School, then please PM me (Bandit), with your details and experience, and which community software you are most proficient with... i.e VB, IPB, InvisionFree, Zetaboards, MyBB, SMF etc...

If you wish to be a student on the 1st training course, please register at FreeAdz and reply to the highlighted thread with the following information:

Which software do you wish to be trained on:
Your Age:
Your time zone:

Each course will last for 1 month. Each student should be required to complete all tasks set for them as part of the course work, and the end of course exam. Each weeks course work should be completed by the Saturday, and been PM'd to your instructor. Your results for each week will be PM'd back to you, then posted in the appropriate forum.

More information will follow shortly.

 

[Aragon Burner]

Since coming up with the concept of the A.T.S, I have been thinking long and hard about things such as, the format of the course, What I wanted the course to accomplish, How the course would be perceived etc.. Early on I realized that I could not possibly offer all the training that a trainee admin would need to run a community from scratch, in a '1 Off' course.

The course plan I have now put together reflects the skills required as a Junior Admin, but much more training would be needed to teach the students the more advanced Admin skills. Things such as: Server Maintenance, Advanced SEO Techniques, Domain Management, Advanced Promotional Techniques etc.. So, instead of creating just one course that would need to run for at least 3 months to cover everything effectively, I have come to the conclusion that the course needs to be split into 3 levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced). Each course will last for the stated 4 week period, with a 1 month period between a student completing the Beginner course, and the start of the Intermediate Course.

Now to the question of how the A.T.S would be perceived. I certainly do not want it to be considered as a waste of time, or too easy to pass and is therefore worthless etc.. To help with this issue, I have decided to appoint 'External' examiners. These examiners will be people that are well known, and highly respected within each community software package they represent. They will conduct the end of course 'Practical' exam, and will have sole say on which students pass/fail the Practical Exams. I am still open to other suggestions on how to better the 'Perceived' reputation of the A.T.S.

I am currently looking on ways how to attract other Community Admins to the idea of sending us their Junior/Trainee Admins to take our course. So, I am now looking for commitments from our Admin friends from other boards, to send all their future Junior/Trainee Admins to us for training. This not only test's the commitment of the person applying to work for you, It also gives you the knowledge that when your staff member returns from their course, that they will be a far more effective tool, in heping your community run smoothly.

Now, a little info on what I have come up with for the awards to be offered to the students that pass the course, and how others can 'Verify' a members claim, that they have passed any of our courses.

Intially, I will be setting up a page containing the information of everyone that passes any of our courses. This information will contain a 'Certificate' number, that will also appear on the 'Certified Image', each member that passes, will receive. (I am also looking at the cost of providing a 'Hard' copy of the certificate).

More info to follow shortly...

http://www.freeadz.org/forums/t-s-press ... ision.html

 

[Rok]

Sounds like a pretty nice and unique feature for your forum. I'll have to read up more on this information later. Good luck!